Diabetic Eye Screening

[Cat1964]

Did you ever get to work and feel like you were missing something? That's how I was feeling this morning when I got to work. We had to completely clear our desks yesterday as they were installing new monitors, so I put everything back on my desk, mail trays etc but still felt that I was missing something. At midday I took my diary out of my bag because it was still niggling me. I looked in my diary and thought to myself, why have I written diabetic eye screening under today's date? Thankfully I kept the appointment letter in my diary too, checked that and my appointment was for today! I was convinced my appointment was for tomorrow. So I hastily changed my time off and headed up to the hospital at 3pm. I was seen by a scary woman who you wouldn't dare answer back for fear of death....lol! She took a few pictures of my eyes and then barked at me that I needed eye drops to have the pics done again. So she forced my eyes open and put in 2 sets of eye drops and sent me outside to wait 15 minutes. My eyes were stinging and my daughter said they were bloodshot too. I was called in again and she took lots of photos of my eyes. That worried me a little that she took lots of pics. It would have been nice to have been told what the eye drops were for and why she took lots of photos but I didn't dare ask!! After that she sent me away telling me I will hear in 4 weeks from them. So at least that's it over and done with. I still can't see properly and my eyes feel very strained, hopefully that should wear off very soon.

 

[LeeLee]

That was awful! They should have explained what the drops do (open up the pupils so they can see the retina properly), and warned you that they sting. Some screening clinics give anaesthetic drops first, but I find them nearly as bad and prefer just one lot of drops, thanks! Your vision should be back to normal soon, certainly by morning. Hope the results are worth the hassle. 🙂

 

[Cat1964]

Even my daughter was so intimidated by her that she didnt come back in the room and waited outside for me!😱

 

[Northerner]

Goodness! Not as bad as me, who turned up for a dentist's appointment a day early! 🙂

The drops dilate your pupils so that they can get better pictures. I would venture to suggest that she took lots of pictures because she was concentrating more on intimidating you, and not enough on the picture-taking, meaning she wasn't getting clear enough pictures first time.

They normally send a letter to your GP (or rather they do for me) within a couple of weeks.

 

[Cat1964]

Goodness! Not as bad as me, who turned up for a dentist's appointment a day early! 🙂

The drops dilate your pupils so that they can get better pictures. I would venture to suggest that she took lots of pictures because she was concentrating more on intimidating you, and not enough on the picture-taking, meaning she wasn't getting clear enough pictures first time.

They normally send a letter to your GP (or rather they do for me) within a couple of weeks.

I thought there was something wrong and was really worried that she took so many pictures. I was so stressed by the time I got to hospital because my mum is diabetic and blind and my stomach was already in knots. It was all very traumatic. 😱

 

[Copepod]

Lots of photos might have been because you were blinking - it's hard not to, sometimes.

Effects of dilation eye drops (eye drops to make your pupils wider) can take as long as several hours to wear off, or as little as an hour or so.

 

[Cat1964]

Lots of photos might have been because you were blinking - it's hard not to, sometimes.

Effects of dilation eye drops (eye drops to make your pupils wider) can take as long as several hours to wear off, or as little as an hour or so.

I was trying hard not to blink but maybe I was. The eye drops haven't worn off yet as I still can't read normally. I am sitting here with a pair of reading glasses over the top of my own glasses and that's magnifying the print. I look stupid!!!

 

[Northerner]

I was trying hard not to blink but maybe I was. The eye drops haven't worn off yet as I still can't read normally. I am sitting here with a pair of reading glasses over the top of my own glasses and that's magnifying the print. I look stupid!!!

I'm useless for about 6 hours after getting the drops! Hope things get back to normal soon - it can be so frustrating! 🙂

 

[Cat1964]

I'm useless for about 6 hours after getting the drops! Hope things get back to normal soon - it can be so frustrating! 🙂

I'm now at 5+ hours and its driving me mad not being able to read properly.

 

[tracey w]

How awful for you! She sounds an horrific person to be doing such tests. Have mine this sat will be fifth I think.

The lady that does miners lovely. One drop in each eye whilst they dilate. No need to prod or pull! Then one photo of each eye. If they do lots no wonder you were flippin blinking you can't see properly after that flash!

Go somewhere else next time the choice is yours after all. I go to my optician as they can do all the screening there.

 

[trophywench]

Oh - ours always do two of each eye (and more if you blink as you say) but it's looking straight ahead and then they move the little green light so you have to look to the side, on each - 4 in all. And ours are dead chatty and show you the pics which with blurred eyes which I think is hilarious!

But I normally have my chauffeur with me so he can say There - Look, Blind Pugh - there's the Spot!

Me and another lady were discussing the pump software whilst sitting ouside the screening door last time, she called me in and so I finished what I was saying then went in and said 'Sorry!' and she said it was really interesting cos she normally never gets to hear about anything but eyes - rather than what the people are like that they belong to.

TBH, in some places they reckon if you are under 40 you shouldn't need drops but I think, to save time, most places they just lob em in regardless. Not like it was your ruddy fault you hadn't had em in, was it?

 

[happydog]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience. Sending you a hug (). Why does a bit of "power" go to some people's head? Hope the results are good! 🙂

 

[Cat1964]

How awful for you! She sounds an horrific person to be doing such tests. Have mine this sat will be fifth I think.

The lady that does miners lovely. One drop in each eye whilst they dilate. No need to prod or pull! Then one photo of each eye. If they do lots no wonder you were flippin blinking you can't see properly after that flash!

Go somewhere else next time the choice is yours after all. I go to my optician as they can do all the screening there.

She literally forced my eyes open to put the drops in. Not a word said. THe first lot must have been the anaesthetic ones but she didnt even give the anaesthetic ones a chance. She put the other the other drops in immediately. My eyes were stinging and watering and she thrust a tissue in my hand and sent me out. My daughter was in the room with us and said to me my face was a picture at the way I was treated. When I was called back in after 15 minutes my daughter chose to sit outside. When we left the hospital she said to me, what was that woman all about? Now my mum as I said earlier is diabetic and blind so I was pretty nervous about it all because what if I go blind???? My stomach was in knots and I felt so stressed about it. With my luck I will not have to see her for another year.

 

[Cat1964]

TBH, in some places they reckon if you are under 40 you shouldn't need drops but I think, to save time, most places they just lob em in regardless. Not like it was your ruddy fault you hadn't had em in, was it?

I wish I was under 40!!!! It's certainly not an experience I'd like to repeat!!!😱

 

[Northerner]

There was no reason to treat you that way, totally unnecessary Hope you get one of the good ones next time - they really aren't all like that!

 

[tracey w]

As I said you can go wherever you choose you don't need to see this practitioner ever again. Do a bit of research beforehand, tell them about your experience. It really doesnt need to be this way. Good luck.

 

[Northerner]

As I said you can go wherever you choose you don't need to see this practitioner ever again. Do a bit of research beforehand, tell them about your experience. It really doesnt need to be this way. Good luck.

I think it depends where you live Tracey. I go to the local hospital for mine, I don't think they fund it to be done at an optician's here.

 

[Cat1964]

As I said you can go wherever you choose you don't need to see this practitioner ever again. Do a bit of research beforehand, tell them about your experience. It really doesnt need to be this way. Good luck.

Thanks Tracey, I will look into this. My opticians is Specsavers and they already do the tests for glaucoma. My dad had glaucoma so they are pretty thorough with these tests. I will ask about diabetic eye screening at my next appointment. I spoke with a colleague at work about my experience yesterday and she advised me to give th hospital 'feedback' on my experience.

 

[LeeLee]

You're more likely to get a proper answer from your PCT/CCG as to whether they will accept retinal scans from opticians. For example, the diabetic screening service in Oxfordshire has agreements with several independent opticians to provide the service. Details of where you can go are sent out in the invitation letter.

On the other hand, East & North Herts will not accept scans from external bodies and insist that patients attend their own clinics. (The opticians will happily scan your eyes, for a fee, but you still have to get it done again at the hospital.)

 

[Cat1964]

The opticians will happily scan your eyes, for a fee, but you still have to get it done again at the hospital.

Ah right LeeLee, oh well as its only once a year, there is a hope that the retinal screening department at my local hospital has more staff than that one woman who did my eye screening. Maybe next time it will be a better experience. Just hoping the results of my screening are okay. They told me I would hear within 4 weeks.